A rapid surge in the brightness of interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS as it neared its closest approach to the sun on Wednesday October 29 was observed by watching spacecraft.
Earlier this week, Harvard professor Avi Loeb told Newsweek that the comet’s behavior at perihelion—the point on its orbital course that brings it closest to the sun—will serve as an “acid test” to help assess whether it shows signs of being an extraterrestrial spacecraft, as the astrophysicist has speculated.
Separately, scientists reported the dramatic brightening of the interstellar object—which was originally discovered back in July this year—in a preprint study, which has yet to be peer-reviewed.
“The reason for 3I’s rapid brightening,” the authors noted in their paper, “remains unclear.”
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